Emulsion treater having infrared heating units

ABSTRACT

A longitudinally vertical emulsion treater having an oil-gas separator, mist eliminator, baffles, U-tube furnace and to which infrared heating units have been secured around the lower sides, the bottom and in the U-tube furnace.

United States Patent Smith Feb. 15, 1972 [54] EMULSION TREATER HAVING2,844,699 7/1958 lviiskella ..219/347 INFRARED HEATING NITS 2,954,82610/1960 Srevers ..219/354 U 2,956,146 10/1960 Weinman .....219/311 [72]Inventor: Grant M. Smith, 112 Rancho Rd., 3,134,897 5/1964 Maury..219/347 Roswell, N. Mex. 58201 3,204,085 8/1965 Busby, Sr ..2l9/354 X(22] Filed: June 1970 Primary Examiner-Reuben Friedman [21] Appl.No.:44,689 Assistant Examiner-R. W. Burks 57 ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl55/l75,219/3l2,219/354 1 [51] Int. Cl ..B0ld 19/00 A ng n lly ver i alem lsion treater having an oil-gas [58] Field ofSearch ..55/45, 86, 175,195, 208, 267; Separator, mist eliminator, l U-tube rn and to 204/157,162; 219/310-312, 347, 354; 250/43 which infrared heating units havebeen secured around the lower sides, the bottom and in the U-tubefurnace. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 2 DrawingFigures 2,448,183 8/1948 Koppel ..219/311 mmfiurmsmn j 3.641.741

INVENTOR GRANT M. SMITH EMULSION TREATER HAVING INFRARED HEATING UNITSThis invention relates to emulsion treaters, the aforesaid emulsiontreaters being apparatus used in the oil industry for treating crudeoil; more particularly, it relates to an emulsion treater to whichinfrared heating units have been added in order to improve theefficiency of the treater.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an emulsiontreater having infrared heating units that are more economical tooperate because only the necessary parts of the treater will be heatedand thus there will not be any lost heat.

Another object of this invention is to provide an emulsion treaterhaving infrared heating units that can be replaced without opening thetreater and thus greatly reduce maintenance time and cost.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an emulsion treaterhaving infrared heating units thus eliminating the use of the furnaceand stack that has to be replaced from time to time.

These basic objects and advantages, and more particular objects andadvantages of this invention will be understood by referring to thefollowing description and claims when taken in connection with theattached drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a typical emulsion treater having thisinvention secured thereto.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1.

In the two views of the attached drawing, like parts of this inventionare indicated by like reference numbers.

The reference number 5 indicates this invention in its entirety.

This invention 5 embodies a cylindrical tank 6 having an oil and gasseparator 7 as wellas a mist extractor 8 and a gas outlet 9 and gassupply 10. The invention also has an emulsion inlet 11 and a manhole 12.A degassing line 13 is located vertically inside of the aforesaid tank 6while an adjustable weir nipple 14 is connected to the aforesaid tank byvertically disposed pipes located on the outside of the tank. Twovertically spaced vapor baffles 15 and 16 are located inside theoften-mentioned tank 6 which is provided with an oil outlet 17. A U-tubefurnace 18 is located under the lowermost baffle 16, while the emulsionspreader is indicated by the reference number 19. The plurality ofinfrared gas heaters 20, which are the crux of this invention, areclearly shown in FIG. 1 of the attached drawing. The drain 21 that isillustrated in the lower portion of FIG. 1 of the drawing, and theU-tube furnace and stack 22 are shown in FIG. 2, thus completing theconstruction of this invention in its basic form.

No attempt is made to illustrate or describe the detail method ofsecuring the aforesaid infrared heaters to the emulsion treater 5 sinceeach manufacturer's treater will require an entirely different type ofattachment and this invention can be mounted on nearly any existingemulsion treater.

What I now claim as new and desire to secure by grant of Letters Patentis:

1. An emulsion treater having infrared heating units, comprising anemulsion heater to which is suitably secured a plurality of infrared gasheaters.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the said emulsion treater embodiesa vertically disposed cylindrical tank having structure therein for thetreating of crude oil, the said structure consisting in part of a gasand oil separator in the upper end of the said tank; and a mistextractor as well as a pair of baffles in vertical spaced relation toeach other; and an infrared gas heater adapted to a U-tube furnacelocated directly under the lowermost one of the said baffles.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the said emulsion treater is alsoprovided with a plurality of vertically disposed and spaced infrared gasheaters that encompass the lower end of the said tank.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein the said emulsion treater is alsoprovided with a plurality of horizontally disposed and spaced infraredgas heaters that encompass the lower end of the said tank below the saidvertically disposed and spaced infrared gas heaters.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the said emulsion treater embodiesa vertically disposed cylindrical Tank having structure therein for thetreating of crude oil, the said structure consisting in part of a gasand oil separator in the upper end of the said tank; and a mistextractor as well as a pair of baffles in vertical spaced relation toeach other; and an infrared gas heater adapted to a U-tube furnacelocated directly under the lowermost one of the said baffles.
 3. Theinvention of claim 2, wherein the said emulsion treater is also providedwith a plurality of vertically disposed and spaced infrared gas heatersthat encompass the lower end of the said tank.
 4. The invention of claim3, wherein the said emulsion treater is also provided with a pluralityof horizontally disposed and spaced infrared gas heaters that encompassthe lower end of the said tank below the said vertically disposed andspaced infrared gas heaters.